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[Lime]

Thank you Ayesha. 
I’ll Scratch that off the list of possible remedies.

[Lime]

What about a
Colloidal Oatmeal Soak? 
It claims to help relieve inflammation.

[MrsMitch]

I tried that once, of something similar- ouch!! It seemed to inflame things for me. I suppose what the cause of inflammation is, maybe. But you won't know until you try it, I don't think that has anything on it that's too bad.

[Lime]

Thank you Mrs Mitch.  Good to know.
The search for something soothing continues…..

[MrsMitch]

So I spoke to my GP again & she thinks I have bladder instability. She did talk briefly about bladder retraining but said due to the severity she would prefer to try Solifenacin at 5mg initially. I'm past caring as long as I get some relief so of course I'm going to give it a go. There is the option to increase to 10mg if necessary & I've got to let her know in a month how things are. She did say if it hasn't helped in 3 weeks she'll up the dose & if it still doesn't work she says she will decide the next step. So I'm encouraged she's being proactive.

[Northerngirl]

Have you told your GP about using intrarosa yet.....does she think it's an additional issue?

[MrsMitch]

Ooh no, Northerngirl,  I'm keeping that to myself until I know if it works. Talking through my bladder problems with her made me realise just how long they've been going on - since around 2008 when I had a very slight sore patch high up in my vagina. VA treatment never seem to deal with my bladder, possibly very slightly when I had a brief window of being pretty good down below.
I think if I tell her at this stage she won't be happy. Rightly or wrongly, that's what I've decided to do for now.

[MrsMitch]

I thought I'd put a quick update on here in case to get your ladies thoughts on this. So I've been taking Solifenacin for just shy of 3 weeks now & it apparently takes 3 - 4 weeks to work & there is the possibility of increasing it to 10mg too.
So I've noticed over the last week or more that I no longer have any dreams. None. Normally I have plenty of dreams, never nightmares but proper dreams that I often wake from & ponder on thinking how weird dreams are!
Did a quick Google out of curiosity this morning & find there is an increased risk of dementia with them. Now I know all meds have side effects but dementia??!!
Clearly the absence of dreams must mean my brain is being affected & it seems the risk is prolonged use in elderly but maybe that's because the majority of users are elderly.
I definitely don't like the sound of that. So far it's made no difference either.
What do you think, ladies? That is a risk I do not think is worth taking.

[Lesred]

Hi MrsMitch I was on tolterodine for a good few years about 10 years ago, it’s similar to Solifenacin for oab, it made my mouth v dry I remember but can’t remember about sleep/dreaming? It worked well for me for a while and then stopped working once peri hit me so a Gp I don’t normally see took me off it saying it wasn’t needed and he was right, I personally feel you should’ve seen a benefit of some sort by now, and if not and you are worried I’m not sure you need to persevere. In saying that if you take it for 2/3 months and it still hasn’t worked I’m sure it won’t do harm dementia wise. As I say I took similar for at least 3/4 years and I think I’m fine  . I just really hated the dry mouth and dry sinuses it gave me and also the fact it mostly was used for incontinence which I definitely didn’t/don’t have!!

They are unusual drugs I know and I am still not entirely sure they worked for me or if it was a placebo effect as they gradually stopped working at all! They did work well initially but tolterodine was split dose morning and evening and I did eventually reduce to once a day due to dry mouth, and was still fine.
 
Is it just the dreams or lack of as side effects? I also agree they are mainly given to older people which is difficult.

Bottom line if they haven’t started to help at all in a week or 2 I would personally stop them, as the point is to feel the benefit and calm the bladder down!

X x

[Lime]

Hi Mrs.Mitch,
I’ve lately been researching these overactive bladder medications and unfortunately it seems most have serious dementia side effects.   There is one called Mirabegron that does not
appear to have this effect although it does have other side effects,  possibly less serious.  My sister in law takes it and I think it has helped her.   Unfortunately,
most medications are a two edged sword.

You might want to ask about Mirabegron.

[sheila99]

I can't comment on the increased risk of dementia but I wouldn't worry about the lack of dreaming. You have vivid dreams during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. If you wake up during REM sleep you usually remember it well. If you wake up during non rem sleep you are far less likely to remember them, often it's more like your own thoughts rather than than 'normal' dreams which are a bit bizarre. Perhaps your sleep is less interrupted by bladder issues so more likely to wake during non rem sleep?

[MrsMitch]

Thanks for your thoughts, ladies.
Lesred: I started with a dry mouth after 3 days of taking them. That seems better now but my voice gets a little croaky sometimes so definitely drier in that area. Chewing gum seems to help.
Lime: thank you, I'll look Mirabegron up. I wonder why they all seem to have the risk of dementia? I'm wondering exactly how they work to then have that as a side effect.
Sheila: I wish I could say my sleep has improved as a result of taking them but it hasn't! That's why I'm not impressed with the drug. It hasn't had any effect what so ever. I'm still peeing a ridiculous amount & always have the urge to go just as I did prior to starting them.
Because my GP says I have bladder instability & that's what she's treating me for I'm wondering if she has the correct diagnosis. I don't know if these tablets would help no matter what specific condition I have or whether they only work for that one.
Anyway, thank you, as always, ladies. I have to update my GP now I've been taking them for 3 weeks. I suspect she'll up the dose to 10mg before she decides to do anything else.